MARTIN O'Neill today insisted he is fully committed to Villa for the long term after fresh waves of criticism continued to rock England manager Steve McClaren.

MARTIN O'Neill today insisted he is fully committed to Villa for the long term after fresh waves of criticism continued to rock England manager Steve McClaren.

O'Neill has remained the 'People's Favourite' to one day take over the national job.

That is despite him being rejected by the FA following an interview process in the summer when he was overlooked in favour of the then Middlesbrough manager, who will tonight lead his country out against Andorra in a 'must-win' encounter.

O'Neill today moved to quell any thoughts that he may be tempted away from his Premiership position.

And he has thrown his weight behind the under-fire England coach, insisting the frenzied tabloid campaign against him is wrong and that McClaren will lead his side into the Euro 2008 Finals.

O'Neill is clearly uncomfortable by the continued speculation linking him with the national post.

"I'm absolutely and utterly committed to Aston Villa Football Club - as is the owner Randy Lerner," he said. "So that part is very straightforward. Second-ly, I'd like to win some football games. I want to win more than we have done for a start.

"Thirdly, I believe that England will qualify from the group. I think they're good enough.

"And I think that the present English manager will ride out the storm and will be okay. He will be fine.

"It's always the case - every time England do not win a game that people think they should win - there's a storm."

Villa have won just two of their last 18 league games which sees them just seven points above the drop zone.

O'Neill, though, is determined to complete his rebuilding job.

"I have total focus here on trying to win games," he said. "It doesn't matter if we're sitting 13th or sitting fourth in the league, it would make no difference to me - I'm absolutely committed here."

O'Neill stresses that his chance to succeed SvenGoran Eriksson is firmly in the past and that McClaren should now be allowed to manage.

"That is something that's happened in the past and my own belief is that the England manager should be allowed to get on with it, having managed for only a few games," said O'Neill.

He says the media campaign to oust McClaren has gone too far.

"It's part of management now. I was nearly going to say that it was part of England management now but it is part of all management.

"The criticism hits you the minute you don't win a couple of games. We have had it here ourselves after we had got off to a decent start and then couldn't win a game.

"Now, like anything else, we are sitting with eight games to go where the season could go either way.

"It's all part of the game. If you win matches you get respite. If you don't, no matter who you are, you're open for criticism."

O'Neill stresses that he does not want to be continually linked with the England job.

He continued: "I feel that my own job here is difficult enough as it is without being unwittingly involved in other matters."